Woody plants: Is your plant in one of these subgroups?
Please go through the subgroups in order.
![Plant form: Benthamidia florida. ~ By William Cullina. ~ Copyright © 2024 William Cullina. ~ bill[at]williamcullina.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Cornaceae/benthamidia-florida-ha-wcullina.jpg)
![Plant form: Decodon verticillatus. ~ By Ben Kimball. ~ Copyright © 2024 Ben Kimball. ~ alpinefin[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Lythraceae/decodon-verticillatus-ha-bkimball.jpg)
![Flowers: Hamamelis virginiana. ~ By Adelaide Pratt. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Hamamelidaceae/hamamelis-virginiana-fl-apratt.jpg)
![Plant form: Ilex verticillata. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2024 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Aquifoliaceae/ilex-verticillata-ha-mlovit.jpg)
![Plant form: Iva frutescens. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Asteraceae/iva-frutescens-ha-ahaines.jpg)
![Flowers: Linnaea borealis. ~ By Marilee Lovit. ~ Copyright © 2024 Marilee Lovit. ~ lovitm[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Caprifoliaceae/linnaea-borealis-fl-mlovit.jpg)
![Leaves: Menispermum canadense. ~ By Karen Searcy. ~ Copyright © 2024 Karen Searcy. ~ ksearcy[at]bio.umass.edu](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Menispermaceae/menispermum-canadense-le-ksearcy.jpg)
![Plant form: Parthenocissus quinquefolia. ~ By William Cullina. ~ Copyright © 2024 William Cullina. ~ bill[at]williamcullina.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Vitaceae/parthenocissus-quinquefolia-ha-wcullina.jpg)
![Bark: Platanus occidentalis. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Platanaceae/platanus-occidentalis-ba-jlynch.jpg)
![Winter buds: Quercus rubra. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Fagaceae/quercus-rubra-wb-ahaines.jpg)
![Flowers: Rhododendron maximum. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ericaceae/rhododendron-maximum-fl-jlynch-b.jpg)
![Plant form: Salix nigra. ~ By Alexey Zinovjev. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ webmaster[at]salicicola.com ~ Salicicola - www.salicicola.com/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Salicaceae/salix-nigra-ha-azinovjev-a.jpg)
![Fruits: Vaccinium corymbosum. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Ericaceae/vaccinium-corymbosum-fr-ahaines.jpg)
Broad-leaved woody plants
Trees, shrubs, and lianas that produce flowers and seeds with carpels
Key characteristics
The "angiosperms" produce flowers and seeds enclosed in an ovary. Note if the plant is a tree, shrub or liana. In summer, note leaf size, shape, and arrangement. In winter, note size and arrangement of leaf buds and scars on twigs. Look for leaves on the ground around the base of the plant. Some species have evergreen leaves that stay on all winter. Remember the phrase "madcap horse" (for Maple-Ash-Dogwood CAPrifoliaceae and HORSE-chestnut): these are the only species with opposite leaves.
Exceptions
Young saplings can look like shrubs. Try to find a mature plant that is producing flowers. Some produce tiny, almost needle-like leaves that look like gymnosperm leaves, but these don't usually have fragrant sap.
Video about this subgroup
Broad-leaved woody plants![Fruits: Abies balsamea. ~ By Jill Weber. ~ Copyright © 2024 Jill Weber. ~ jillweber03[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/abies-balsamea-fr-jweber.jpg)
![Plant form: Larix laricina. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/larix-laricina-ha-jlynch.jpg)
![Plant form: Picea abies. ~ By John Lynch. ~ Copyright © 2024 New England Wild Flower Society. ~ Image Request, images[at]newenglandwild.org](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/picea-abies-ha-jlynch-a.jpg)
![Fruits: Picea glauca. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/picea-glauca-fr-ahaines.jpg)
![Leaves: Pinus strobus. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2024 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/pinus-strobus-le-ahaines-a.jpg)
![Leaves: Tsuga canadensis. ~ By Ben Kimball. ~ Copyright © 2024 Ben Kimball. ~ alpinefin[at]comcast.net](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com:443/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/tsuga-canadensis-le-bkimball.jpg)
Needle-leaved woody plants
Pines, spruces, larches, cedars, and other conifers
Key characteristics
The "gymnosperms" or “conifers” do not have flowers and produce seeds not enclosed in an ovary (the seeds are usually borne in seed cones). Many species produce a sticky resin with a sweet or turpentine smell. Leaves can vary from tiny, overlapping, and scale-like (e.g., northern white cedar) to long, slender, and needle-like (e.g., eastern white pine). If needle-like leaves, note how many grow out of each cluster. Note the texture of bark on trunk and twigs.
Exceptions
Some conifers (e.g., common juniper) can be short shrubs. A few woody angiosperms have very small, narrow leaves (i.e., scale like) but have flowers and lack resin. Most but not all gymnosperms are evergreen: the larch (Larix) is deciduous.
Video about this subgroup
Needle-leaved woody plantsMy plant isn't in these subgroups.